An investigation was launched at Salford Royal Hospital after hygiene inspectors gave the kitchen there one star out of five – the second lowest rating (Image: Chris Gleave)

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A hospital was given just a week to clean up its act after poor hygiene was found in a kitchen where food is cooked for hundreds of patients, the M.E.N. understands.

Environmental health inspectors from Salford council blasted standards of hygiene in the kitchen following an unannounced visit last month.

The hospital’s infection control team also launched an investigation after the inspectors gave the kitchen one star out of five – the second lowest rating.

But the hospital’s infection team found no evidence that patients had been affected during the hospital’s lapse in standards.

Bosses at Public Health England also carried out a separate review and found no evidence that patients had been affected.

A second environmental health inspection found that standards have since improved.

Gena Merret, assistant mayor for housing and environment at Salford council, said: “A routine inspection at Salford Royal found that the food served, although safe, only met one star standards.

“Further meetings and visits have found that improvements have already been made and we will continue to work with Salford Royal to ensure that food hygiene is at the best possible standard.”

The unannounced inspection came just weeks after David Cameron visited the hospital.

Inspectors carrying out hygiene checks on kitchens examine how hygienically food is handled, how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored. They also look at condition of kitchens including the cleanliness, layout lighting, ventilation and other facilities, and how a business manages and records what it does to ensure the food is safe.

Kitchens are then given a rating out of five. A five-star kitchen would be ‘very good’.

A rating of ‘zero’ would mean that urgent improvements are necessary. A one-star rating means that major improvement is needed.

In a similar inspection by Salford council in October last year, the same kitchen was given a hygiene rating of three – meaning it was generally satisfactory.

Fewer than six out of 10 patients at the hospital rated their food as ‘good’, according to figures released by the Campaign for Better Hospital Food last month.

Alex Jackson, co-ordinator for the campaign said the hospital’s food rating was ‘really worrying’.

He said the campaign was working to ensure that all hospital food meets quality and nutritional standards. Salford Royal is now seeking outside help to help them manage the kitchen.